Overview

Constant Contact and Mailchimp are both veterans of email marketing. Constant Contact launched in 1995, Mailchimp in 2001. Both have served millions of small businesses. But they've evolved differently - Constant Contact doubling down on SMB and event marketing, Mailchimp becoming a broader marketing platform.

See our Mailchimp comparison for more detailed analysis of Mailchimp's capabilities.

The Core Difference

Constant Contact feels like the reliable local business partner. Phone support on every plan, event marketing built in, templates designed for newsletters and announcements. It's email marketing with a personal touch.

Mailchimp has evolved into a modern marketing platform. Advanced automation, AI content generation, predictive analytics, and 300+ integrations. It's built for marketing teams wanting cutting-edge features.

Pricing: $160 vs $135 at 10K

At 10,000 contacts, Constant Contact Standard costs $160/month. Mailchimp Standard costs $135/month.

Constant Contact's higher price includes phone support on all plans and higher email send limits (up to 24x contacts on Premium). Mailchimp reserves phone support for $350+/month Premium plans.

Both platforms eliminated or reduced free tiers. Constant Contact has no free plan as of June 2025. Mailchimp offers a limited free tier for 500 contacts.

Where Constant Contact Wins

Event Marketing: Built-in event management is Constant Contact's standout feature. Create registration pages, track RSVPs, send automated reminders, and manage attendees - all without third-party integrations. For businesses running workshops, fundraisers, or community events, this is valuable.

Phone Support: Every paid Constant Contact plan includes phone support. Mailchimp requires Premium ($350+/month) for phone access. For less technical users who want to talk to a human, Constant Contact is more accessible.

Onboarding Help: Constant Contact offers 1-on-1 marketing coaching and hands-on setup assistance. Their focus on SMB means they expect to hold your hand through getting started.

Where Mailchimp Wins

Automation: Mailchimp's Customer Journeys offers 40+ pre-built workflows with advanced triggers and conditional logic. Constant Contact's automation is more basic. For sophisticated nurture sequences, Mailchimp is superior.

Integrations: 300+ native integrations vs Constant Contact's 100+. Deep connections to Shopify, WooCommerce, Salesforce, and major marketing tools. Complex tech stacks work better with Mailchimp.

Modern Features: AI content generation, predictive demographics, send time optimization. Mailchimp continues investing in cutting-edge marketing technology that Constant Contact hasn't matched.

For SaaS Companies

Neither Constant Contact nor Mailchimp is built for SaaS. Both target traditional small businesses without subscription billing awareness.

If you're running a SaaS company and need automation based on Stripe events - trial expiry, plan changes, failed payments - consider Sequenzy. It's designed specifically for software businesses with transactional email and subscription-aware triggers.

At $49/month for 10k subscribers, Sequenzy costs less than a third of either legacy platform.